History of Jewelers Row

Designed by builder-architect Thomas Carstairs around 1799, the buildings of Jewelers Row were erected by one of the young nation’s early developers, William Sansom.

Many authorities cite Carstairs Row on Sansom Row (built from 1799 through 1820) as being one of the first major speculative row house developments in the city.

William Sansom had these buildings erected on the southern part of the site occupied by "Morris' Folly"—the unfinished mansion designed by Pierre Charles L'Enfant for Robert Morris in 1794.

The speculative block-long row house has taken an important place in Philadelphia's developmental history. The grid-pattern laid down by Penn and continued throughout the centuries by city surveyors, has contributed to this form of residential architecture.

Sansom erected the buildings on what was then the outskirts of the city and paved Sansom Street at his own expense to attract tenants. He hired Benjamin H. Latrobe to design another row on 700 block Walnut Street.

Whereas Elfreths Alley has the charm of houses with varying widths and height and different street lines, doorways and brickwork; Sansom Row was a flat repetitive expanse—ideal for conversion into a commercial district.

Late 1900 and early 20th century alterations and demolition changed most of the Row:

  1. Only 700 Sansom and buildings at 730-732 retained much of the original appearance.
  2. 710 Sansom is a three-story commercial building with stone lintels. It's a Victorian building dating back to 1870. It is typical of the type of buildings that become the center for jewelry and diamond merchants who developed Jewelers Row in mid-19th century (period 1860-1879).
  3. 722 Sansom was originally built in the 1860's. It was redesigned when steel became available in the early 1900's.
  4. 724 Sansom has a cast iron first floor dated 1875.

Jewelers Row today is the oldest and second largest, only to New York, jewelry district of its kind in the country.

Jewelers Row consists of retailers, wholesalers, craftsmen and appraisers. Some of the companies in Jewelers Row have been owned by the same families for five generations.